It had been a long month. A hectic schedule coupled with a nasty cold had kept me out of the gym and I was feeling dull and jaded.
It was time to perk myself up and get that spark back.
Where better to recuperate I decided, than one of Europe’s finest urban spas.
I recently heard about an exciting collaboration between One Spa at the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh and Olympic athlete Keri-Anne Payne.
The open water swimmer and double world champion has devised three new inspiring packages at the spa.
The packages focus on three pillars of recovery, recharge and relaxation.
In serious need of all three, I jumped on the train to Edinburgh with my friend Nicole for a girlie weekend.
Keri-Anne has drawn on her experience of post exercise healing in the rooftop hydropool and thermal suite at the spa.
Each package showcases her recovery routines which incorporate a natural balance of energy, water and heat.
A specific treatment is incorporated in each package.
With my achy muscles and lifeless skin, I went for the recharge package, specifically designed to invigorate a tired body.
It includes a facial with a massage which I was soon to learn, is out of this world.
I arrived at the spa reception to enjoy a pot of recovery-boosting lemon and ginger tea and receive details of the stretching and breathing exercises which would bring my body back to life.
In the spa I was to immerse myself in the indoor 62ft pool where I followed the recharge routine. Leg swings, jogging and kicking in the pool encourage blood flow.
Next it was into the stainless-steel rooftop hydropool where I let the jets target my tired muscles.
I could feel all tension leaving me with a series of breathing exercises in the bio sauna.
A shocking yet reviving ice drench was next followed by a visit to the steam-infused bathhouse to clear the senses.
After a rain forest shower I headed for the treatment room where my back was exfoliated and massaged before I enjoyed an intense facial and scalp massage.
Describing this experience is difficult because I was brought into such an extreme state of relaxation by the scalp massage that I was on the verge of sleep.
What I can say is that by the time it was over my skin was glowing and I was feeling fantastically energised.
A cocoa and peanut butter smoothie at the end of the treatment gave me the boost I needed to enjoy dinner and drinks in the Sheraton’s One Square restaurant.
The menu celebrates the very best of Scottish cuisine and provides details of the farm and breed of cow of each and every steak.
After the combination of a recharging spa experience and the protein from a delicious rib-eye steak, I was ready to take on the world again.
